Come now and set us free,O God, our Saviour;come, O Lord Jesus,reconcile all nations.

Come, Hope of unity,make us one body;come, O Lord Jesus,reconcile all nations.

Geonyong Lee revised Marion Pope CH4 275

Peace is one of the dominant themes in this season as we await the birth of the Prince of peace and what a time to be thinking of it and praying for it!

Politicians have voted to enter yet another war and British planes are already bombing places and people to defeat terrorism and bring about a sort-of peace. I can’t pretend to understand the whole political argument but I do know that Jesus said ‘love your enemies.’ Perhaps this is far too simplistic in today’s modern world and I’m sure theologians could argue cases for or against a ‘just war’. I could march and I could write letters in protest, but it seems that in real terms all I can do is pray for everyone in power and for those who struggle to find a diplomatic solution. Come now, O Prince of peace, reconcile your people.

At no other time have 195 nations come together to call for peace with our planet. We have abused it, raped it, poisoned it and polluted the air surrounding it. It is time to make peace with it. The heavy-weight politicians have left Paris and they leave teams of negotiators to fight out the details. The tiny, vulnerable nations can’t afford big teams. Their voices are often not heard, yet these are the ones who will be landless and homeless when sea levels rise. Let us pray that the Paris talks will end with harmony and a peaceful deal that will care for all peoples. Let us pray that we in the rich world will be prepared to live more simply and sacrificially so that others may simply live. Let us all give thought this advent and Christmas to what we as individuals and church communities might do to help the process of peace with our beautiful, God-given world. It’s not only up to the powerful – we can all play a part. Come now, O Prince of peace, reconcile your people.

And as we journey towards Bethlehem and the birthplace of the Prince of peace, we can do no other but hold that whole area of conflict, oppression and occupation in our thoughts and prayers.

Come now, O Prince of peace, reconcile your people.

Lis Mullen

Prayer

Spend time in silent confession of your excess use of carbon and reflect how you might be the answer to your own prayers.